Cotton cleaner



Sept. 4, 1945. 1.. MCDANIEL ET AL COTTON CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheei; 1

Filed Jul-y 31, 1944 Fig 3.

LU EIEN LMwANIEL REJJEEITIE INVENTORS y W M ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 4, 1945 COTTON CLEANER Lucien L. McDaniel and Frank E. Decms, Birming- 'ham, Ala., assignors to Continental Gin pany, a corporation-f Delaware Com- Application July 31, 1944,: S:erialNo;--17 ,371 7 Claims. (01.19593) This invention relates to cotton cleaners and has for an object the provision of' an apparatus and method for cleaning cotton in which the cotton is subjected to a beating action in which: it is tossed to and fro between cleaning elements so disposed as to provide a screen for removing dirt and trash.

A further object of our invention is to provide a cotton cleaner embodying upper and lower rows ofcylinders having agitating and cleaning elements thereon, the cylinders being so disposed that the cotton introduced into the cleaner is Cotton cleaning mechanism as heretofore known to us has usually embodied screens of various types, together with rollers having vanes or spikes thereon for conveying the cotton there'- over. Cleaning is accomplished by drawing the cotton over the screens in a direction approximately parallel to the screen surface, thus wiping or scrubbing the cotton over the screens and often embedding dirt and trash in the cotton that would otherwise be separated. Difiiculties have also been encountered in designing the screens for use in such cleaning apparatus. If the mesh of the screen be too large, the seed cotton will be discharged with the trash, and when the mesh is small enough to retain the cotton, the dirt and trash dov not readily pass. Furthermore, all screens of the type heretofore employed have a tendency to hair over from loose fibers or other materials and thus become clogged. Foreign material, such as stone oriron which accidentally get into the seed cotton some--, times damage and break the screen. Also, complete choking of a cleaner unit due to large wads of cotton wedging between the screens and the rollers is a frequent source of trouble.

These and other difliculties are overcome by our invention in which the screen surface is replaced by a series of rotating cylinders having agitating and cleaning elements thereon spaced to provide the maximum opening for dirt and trash, but close enough to provide a screen for the cotton. Preferably, we provide an upper and a lower seriesof cylindersmounted in a casing'and so disposed that the cotton is passed first over the upper surface of the upper series of cylinders and then over the upper surface of the lower series of cylinders. The two series of cylinders are SOjdlSPOSBdWlth respect to each other, that the cotton in passing over the lower series is tossed to and fro between the upper and lower series, thus subjecting' it to a beating action in which-the cotton ismaintained in an open, fluffy condition. Dirt and trash are thus effectively removed from the cotton, falling between the agitating and cleaning: elements on the lower series ofcylinders. No chokingof the apparatus is possible, because all of the cylinders rotate in a direction to propel the cotton from the inlet to the discharge outlet of the apparatus.

Apparatus embodying features of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming'a part of this application, in which Fig. l is a sectional elevation showing one form of our improved apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line Ill-11 of Fig; I;

Fig; 3 is afragmentary sectional plan view showing the arrangement of the agitating and the cleaning elements on a pair ofthelower series, of cylinders; 1 I r Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified arrangement;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation similar ,to Fig. 1, showing a modified form of our invention; I

Fig. 6 is a sectional V I- -VI'of'Fig. 5; and V Fig. is a fragmentary plan view, of a cylinder "showingthe arrangement of thecleaning elements on the cylinders, illustrated inFigs. 5 and.6.

Referring now to Figs.,1 to 40f the drawings, our improved apparatusembodies an elongated casing l0 having an inlet opening H and a material outlet opening I25 Cotton may be fed into the opening. it by means of a feeder i 3'. Mounted in the, upperportion of the casing Ill is an upper seriesof cleaning cylinders M. The cylinders M are arranged in horizontal, parallel, side by'siderelation, and each cylinder is provided' with a plurality of agitating and cleaning elements It. As shown in Fig. 2, the agitating and cleaning elements I6 may consist of vanes,

and .thecylinders. M are so spaced laterally that,

smallldi'rt. and trash, however, can freely pass downwardly between the cylinders and thus be View taken along the line as a baflle against which the cotton is forcibly.

thrown and directed downwardly on to the lower series of cylinders.

the cotton at this point.

Mounted in the casing I Some dirt and trash will' i vrpass through the screens 17 and berernoved from I r 1 the series 44 in Fig, 1, and the cylinders in the immediately j'belowf 1. 5

the upper series of cylinders I4, is a lower series of cylinders l8, corresponding in numberto the upper series and, in accordance with the modification shown in Fig. 1, with each cylinder of'the lower series disposed immediately below a corresponding cylinder in the upper series 14.. The first cylinder of the series l8, considered in the. direction of movement of the cotton through the cleaner, is positioned to receivethe cotton, falling downwardly from the screen IT. The cylinders of the lower series I8 areprovided with agitating and cleaning elements which, in the form shown in this modification, consist of serrated disks I9.

All of the cylinders of the lower series are'rotated at a relatively high rate of speed by any suitable means, not shown, in-a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the-upper series of cylinders H. The lower series of cylinders l8, being disposed immediately below the upperseries. M, the agitating and cleaning elements, 19 .engage the cotton and toss it upwardlyagainst the upper series of cylinders where it is met by the elements l6 and tossed back again against the lowerseries of cylinders, thus subjecting the cotton to a violent beating action. This effectively knocks the dirt and trash out of the cotton, allowing it to pass downwardly between the disks 19, into a hopper 2| in the bottom of the casing, from whence it may be removed by any suitable mechanism, not shown. It will be seen by this action, the cotton is maintained in an opemflufly condition, and that due to the rapid rotation of the cylinders, there is no possibility of clogging the cleaning element's. 7

In Fig. 3 of the drawings, weshow in detail one method of mounting the disks I8. In accordance with this modification, the disks 19. are mounted onshafts 22 with suitable spacers 23 between the disks and withthe disks on oneshaft extending between the disks on an adjacent shaft, whereby uniform openings 24 are provided between the cylinders for the passageof dirt and trash.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings, we show .a modified form of mounting for the disks. In accordance with this modification, we show disks 26 mounted on shafts 21 and spaced apart by means of spacers 28. The disks on adjacent shafts, in accordance with thismodification, are' evenly. spaced and directly opposed, the distance between edges of disks on adjacent shafts being substantially the same as the distancebetween disks on the same shaft. By means .of this construction, we can employ spacer blocks 28 which occupy less space than those shown in Fig. 3, and thus provide a greater areaof openingbetween the disks than between the disks l9.. I f

Referring now to Fig. 5 of the drawings, we show a modified form of our invention-which includes a casing *,similar to the casing l0 and having an inlet opening I l', and a discharge opening l2. Mounted in the upper part of the casing I0 is an upper series of cylinders 29 arranged in horizontal, parallel, side by side relation, similar to the series of cylinders l4 shown in Fig. 1. Disposed beneath the series of cylinders 29, is a lower series of cylinders 3!. Instead of the cylinders of the lower series being disposed directly'beneath the corresponding cylinders in the upper series 29, the cylinders of the series 3| are disposed immediately beneath the space between corresponding cylinders in the upper series 29. The cylinders of the upper series 29 are all lower series '3! are likewise rotated in the same direction, but opposite to the direction of rotation of. the cylinders in the series 29. Cotton is delivered tothe upper series of cylinders 29 through the inlet opening I l and is carried over the upper cylinders and thrown against the screen H to fall downwardly therefrom onto the lower series of cylinders 3 I, and is then carried over the lower series anddelivered outwardly through the discharge outlet I2.

In accordance with this modification of our invention, we provide the cylinders in the series 29 and 3! with agitating and cleaning elements in the form of spikes 32 which are so spaced on the cylinders and the cylinders are so spaced with, respectto each other as to-form a screen for the cotton, permitting the dirt and trash to fall downwardly between the spikes and the cylinders. The rows of spikes 32, as shown in Fig. 7, are preferably so arranged that the spikes in one row are in staggered .relation with respect to the spikes on adjacent rows. There is thus provided an efficient screen for the cotton with ample space-between the spikes for the passage of dirt and trash. I

' With the arrangement shown in Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive, the cotton is subjected to a violent beating action and is tossed back and forth between the upper and lower. series of cylinders as indicated by the arrows to fluff it and free it from dirt andtrash before it is discharged through the out let l2. a

From theforegoing it will be. apparent that we have devised an improved cotton cleaning apparatus which is simple of design and operation and which is adapted to remove dirt and trash from the cotton without any wadding or roping of the cotton, and without the possibility of choking the apparatus. It will also be apparent thatour apparatus is especially adapted, if desired, for the circulation of heated airthrough the casing so that the cotton may be simultaneously dried and cleaned, in a manner well understood in the art. For this purpose, we show the vacuum feeder l3 in Fig. 5 connected to the outlet 12' and show an outlet 33 through which heated moist air may be withdrawn from the casing. In such an arrangement, the cotton along with heated air may be admitted through an inlet II, and the circulation of air through the casing aids in cleaning the cotton. Such arrangements are well known in other forms of cleaning and drying apparatus and need no detail description.

While we have shown our invention in but two forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a cotton cleaner, an upper series of rotary cylinders disposed in parallel, side by side relation, beater elements on the cylinders, a lower series of cylinders parallel to the upper series and disposed beneath the upper series in position to receive cotton therefrom, agitating elements on the lower series of cylinders spaced to permit the passage of dirt and trash therebetween but close enough to prevent the passage of cotton, the respective series being so disposed as to provide a vertical space between the elements thereon, means to feed cotton onto one end of the upper series, and means to drive the cylinders in a direction for the cotton to be carried first over the upper series and then over the lower series, and to be tossed from the lower series upwardly against the upper series and back against the lower series.

2. A cotton cleaner comprising upper and lower substantially horizontal series of rotary cylinders, the cylinders in each series being disposed in closely spaced relation, agitating elements on both series of cylinders, the elements on the lower series being spaced to provide a screen for the passage of dirt and trash therebetween, means to feed cotton on to one end of the upper series of cylinders, bafile means opposite the other end of said upper series disposed to receive cotton from said series and to deliver it to the lower series, means to drive the upper series of cylinders in a direction to carry the cotton from end to end thereof and discharge it against the bafiie means, and means to drive the lower series in a direction for the agitating elements to throw the cotton upwardly against the elements of the upper series and to carry it to the opposite end of the lower series and deliver it from the cleaner.

3. In a cotton cleaner, a casing having a feed opening in the top near one end thereof and a delivery opening below the feed opening, an upper series of cylinders mounted in the casing in parallel side by side relation, the first of the series being mounted beneath the feed opening, beater elements on the cylinders, means to rotate the cylinders in a direction to carry the cotton along the upper surfaces thereof, a substantially vertically disposed screenin the casing disposed to receive cotton from the upper series of cylinders, a lower series of cylinders mounted in the casing in parallel, side by side relation beneath the upper series and disposed to receive cotton falling downwardly from the screen, agitating elements mounted on the lower cylinder and spaced to provide a screen for the cotton through which trash and dirt may pass, and means to drive the lower series in a direction to carry the cotton from one end to the other of the series and to toss it upwardly against the upper series and to deliver it through the delivery opening of the casing.

4. In a cotton cleaner, a lower row 'of horizontally disposed rotary cylinders having agitating elements thereon, an upper similar row of cylinders parallel to the lower row with the agitating elements of one row vertically spaced with respect to the elements on the other row, means to drive the respective rows of cylinders in opposite directions whereby to toss the cotton upwardly and downwardly, back and forth, between the rows as they are rotated, the elements on the lower row being closely spaced to form a screen.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which the agitatin elements on the lower row of cylinders consist of serrated disks spaced on the cylinder to form elements of a screen, and the adjacent cylinders in a row are disposed with their respective disks spaced to form a screen.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which the agitating elements consist of rows of spikes mounted on the cylinders and spaced to form a screen, and in which adjacent cylinders in a row are disposed with their respective spikes spaced to form the screen.

7. A cotton cleaner comprising parallel horizontally disposed upper and lower series of rotary cylinders, agitating and cleaning elements on the cylinders, the elements on the lower series being closely enough spaced to form a screen, and the 40 arrangement being such as to provide a vertical 

